Railway car truck



- Dec. 17, 1946. c. P. LEEsE 2,412,689

RAILWAY CAR TRUCK Filed May 31, 194s 3 sheets-shea 1 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 C. P. LEESE RAILWAY CAR TRUCK Filed May 31, 1943 Dec. 17, 1946.

Dec. 17, 1946. c. P. LEI-:SE

RAILWAY CAR TRUCK Filed May 5l, 1945 3 Sheets-,Sheet 5 INVENTOR CHARLfs ,0, 555

BY .I I

ATToR N EY Patented Dec. 17, 1946 RAILWAY CAR TRUCK Charles P. Leese, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Standard Car Truck Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New Jersey j Application May 1943, serial No. 489,121

This invention relates to railway car trucks and particularly to the class of trucks in which a bolster or other member for supporting the car body is supported `on the frame with capacity for substantially horizontal movement transversely ofthe truck.

I-Ieretoforaswing hangers have been used in connection with carwtrucks of the transom type tpjsuspend the truck center plate from the transoms. thatgis to say, `from the rigidifying cross beams which so connect the truck side frames togethergas to provide a unitaryframe structure.

While car trucks of the above transom type pre-v sented many advantages incident to the provision of` arigid unitary frame, the trucks were objectionable because of their excessive weight and because of the difficulties encountered in partially'or wholly dismantling the truck in connec tion `with the repair and replacement of parts.

"As a res-ult of these objections, the .transom typeof truck has been superseded principally by repair which characterizes trucks having sepa` rately removable side frames.

`It is a specicobject of this invention to provide a truck having 'separate side frames, preferably, though not necessarily of the pedestal type, and a bolster. suspended directly from the upper central portions of the side members by Ameans of swinging link mem-bers.

I'Another object is vto provide in a car truck having separately." removable side frames and. a transversely movable bolster, novel and improved `meansfor suspending the lbolster from the side frames, so that the weight of the car body will tend to prevent excess swinging movements of Vthe bolster and will insure return movement thereof to itsv normal position after it has been displaced by lateral forces. v

Another object is to provide in a car truck of the above character improved means for minimizinglfriction during the swinging movement of thetruck bolster and vto facilitate repair and replacement of those parts which will normally be 7 Claims. (Cl. 105-191) subjected to the greatest wear. In this connection the invention includes the provision of links having rocker bearings as distinguished from bearings which pivot about fixed axes and the provision of lbearing elements which are remov ably associated with the larger and'more expensive members of the truck such as the side frames and the bolster,

Other objects and advantages of the inventionl will be readily apparent from the detailed description of the structures shown inthe drawings. In the drawings, v I Fig. 1 is a side view of a railway car truck constr-ucted in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the truck shown in Fig. 1. Y

Fig. 3 is a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig,.`2 so as to illustrate the construction and cooperative relation of certain associated parts.

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, but showing the bolster and bolster bearing in side elevation for the purpose of clearness.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of a side framemember, a portion of the link for suspending the bolster being broken away in this figure.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line G-E of Fig. 5, but omitting the link member` Fig. '7 is a cross sectional view taken on line 'l-l of Fig. 6 to illustrate the welded connection of a renewable bearing member.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional View similar to Fig. 4, but showing certain modifications of the end portion of the bolster and of the bolster bearing associated with said end portion; and

Fig. 9 is an end View, partly in section, of the bolster and bolster bearing shown in Fig. y8.

The drawings illustrate only one side of a truck. However, it will be understood that both sides of the truck are identical and that the constructions of one side only are shown herein merely forv a substantially horizontal plane transversely of` the truck. The side frames are of identical construction and are preferably, though not necessarily, ofthe pedestal type.` When they are of the pedestal type, they include the spaced apart pedestal jaws l-l 6 which embrace suitable journal boxes I1. Load supporting springs IB-IB are interposed between the top portion of the journal boxes and portions of the top chord of the side frames. The arrangement of the springs l8-l9 and likewise the arrangement and construction of suitable stabilizing springs 20 and their cooperating wedges 2| are the same in all respects as the springs and stabilizing wedges shown in my co-pending application Seria1 No. 430,889, February 14, 1942, which has since matured into U. S. Patent No. 2,355,450, granted August 3, 1944. It is unnecessary, therefore, to describe these elements in detail in the present application..

The important feature of the present invention is the arrangement and means of' sw-ingably supporting the bolster directly from the center portion of the side frames of the truck. In this connection each side frame is. .of unitary construction and includes columns 22-23 spaced apart and united with the upper and lower chords of the frame so as to define a rectangular centrai opening 24 for receiving an end portion of the bolster I4. The width f the said opening in the side frames is sufficient to provide but slight .clearance between the inner vertical faces 25-26 of the columns 2li-23, and the opposite side faces 21-21 of the bolster. This close fit serves to prevent any substantial angular movement of the truck side frames about a vertical axis and also prevents rotational` movement of the bolster.

The side frames are. separately removable and can be readily removed from their position on the journal boxes Il by merely removing the pedestal tie bars 28--28 and then elevating the frame until the journal boxes will clear the lower end of the pedestal jaws., The springs and wedges. of the stabilizing mechanism are retained in their positions during the removal of the frame by inserting bars 0r rodsl (not shown) into the openings 29 of the frame as described in said Patent No. 2,355,450. In some instances it maybe desirable to remove the journal boxes from the wheel axles along with the side frame. This may be accomplished by merely removing the brass journal bearings and their cooperating wedge members (not shown) from the. journal boxes. The side frame and journal box assembly may be then removed from their operative position by lateral movement of the. side frame.

The upper chord portion of each side frame,

at a location above said rectangular opening 24, is provided with channel portion. 30. which extends. lengthwise of the side frame. The channel is of curved configuration in cross section and receives a correspondingly curved bearing memi.

ber 3l. of hardened metal. The. bearing member is removably tted in the channel 30 and is held in position therein by means of dowel studs 32--32 formed on the bottom of the bearing and fitting in openings formed. in the channeled por.- tion ,3U of the frame. As a further means for retaining the bearing member 3l in position. its opposite .ends are formed with flanges 33-33 which t into correspondingly formed recesses.

the radius of the top bearing surface of the hardened metal bearing 3l. Consequently, the links have a rocking engagement on the hardened bearing surface rather than a sliding or frictional movement. The depending arms 31-31 of the link members extend through openings 38-38 in the top chord portion of the side frames and lie 'within the vertical channels of the columns 22-23 of the frame. The arms of the links are of suflicient length to extend substantially to the lower chord of the frame. Key members 39, oneV for each link, extend through openings lll-40 in the arms of the link'and through openings '4t-42 in the columns 22-23 so as to extend entirely across the central rectangular opening 24 in the. frame. The said keys serve as bearings for supporting the opposite ends of the bolster. The openings iL-42 in the said columns are of sullicient width to permit substantial swinging movement of the links.

The invention includes certain novel constructions withv the view of simplifying the work` in connection with the making of repairs and the` replacement of worn parts. In this connection the opposite ends of the bolster I4 are provided. with removable bolster bearings 43:. vEach bolster bearing, as, shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, includesa plate portion formed atA opposite edges. withA upstanding lugs 44 which twithin recesses 45-45 formed on opposite faces of. the bolster. This interlocking engagement between. thev bolster and the bolster bearing prevents any substantial sliding movement of the bolster relative to the bearing member. The lower face .of the bolster bearing is provided with spaced apart lugs 46-46; each of which is formedwith curved grooves 4.1 (Fig. 4)-, adapted to tover the curved upper edge of a key member 39. The. curvature of the said grooves 4'l-`41 is of greater radius th-an the curvature of the upper edge of the key 39 so that the bearing engagement between the two members is in the nature, of` a rocker bearing. The plate portion 48 of the bolster bearing, 43 is alsov held in place -by means of depending. lugs 49-49 formed on the bolster. A sound deadening padv 50, preferably of compressed bre or other suitable material, is interposed. between the .bottom surface of the bolster I4 and the top surface of the bolster bearing 43.. In the drawing only onepad 50 is shown. However, additional pads may be readily inserted between the bolster and thebolster bearings of the truck so as tocompensate for wear of the wheels and other parts. of the truck which tend to lower the center line ofthecar couplers relative to vthe top surface of the rails.. When the bolster is supported in its nor'- mal position, the link members 34 normally stand ata slight angle outwardly (Fig. 4)` from avertical plane passing through the center of the hardened metal bearing member 3|. With this arrangement, any outward swinging movement of thev bolster is resisted by the loa-d, since such swinging movement will involve moving the links.

in an upwardly directed arc. at one side. of the. f truck. The swinging movement. of. the bolster `is limited by means of buffer. lugs 5l-5I positioned at opposite. sides of the bolster adjacent each side. frame so as to abut against the inner face of the side frame. The key membersA 39 are preferably inserted in their operative. positiomas indicated. by the dotted lines in. Fig. 3,V through openings 52 or 53 in the side frames.

connected'- byE means of'` `a" `-tle l brace 54. ifT-lfetie manner to permitrelative fvertical movements of the frames `andat-'the same time" resist transverse tilting `of the frames' or relative lengthwise movement thereof. s The tie brace preferably con# sists` of `a channel member 55 which extends across the truck beneath the bolster.` Each' end portion of the channel member-has'alcleat 56 securedthereto and adapted to seat within a recess 51 formed in the upper surface of flange 511V which is formed onthe adjacent side frame'of thetruck. The cleats 5B extend the full `width of the channel memberso asto provide connections between` the tiebar andiside `framesof suf-14 cient' lengthwtofprevent transverse skewing of the sideframes orV any substantial lengthwise movement of one side frame relative to the other. However, there is suilicient clearance between the cleats 56 and the walls of the cleat receiving recesses 51 to permit sufficient flexibility to allow the side frames to move vertically relative to each other and at the same time prevent objectional tilting, skewing or other movements of the truck side frames which would interfere with the proper operation of the moving parts of the truck. Each end of the tie brace is secured in position by means of a bolt 6| which extends through an opening 62 in an upper lug 63, and

through coinciding openings 164 and 65 formed in the tie brace and flange 58, respectively. The lower portion 66 of the bolt is reduced in diameter so as to provide a shoulder 61 which normally stands a slight distance above the top surface of the tie brace 54 so as to permit slight vertical movements of the tie brace relative to the side frame l2. A coil spring 68 surrounds the bolt GI and is interposed between the top surface of the tie brace 154 and the bottom surface of the upper lug 63 so as to exert resilient pressure against the tie bar and thereby hold the cleat 5B in proper position in its cooperating recess 51. A nut 69 is threaded on to the lower end of the bolt and is locked thereon against the bottom of the flange 58 by means of a cotter key 10.

It will be seen, from the construction above described, that the side frames I2|2 can be readily removed by merely disconnecting the tie brace 54 and jacking up the truck bolster so as to relieve the weight from the key member 39 of the link member 34, whereupon the frame I2 may be.

removed laterally, as previously described. It will also be observed that when it is necessary to remove and replace the key 39, it may be inserted and removed through the openings 4 I--53 or 42-52 in the frame, as indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

Referring now to the bolster and bolster bearing assembly shown in Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings: The bolster designated llla is of known construction. It includes the spaced lugs iB-4Q and the buiier lugs 5 l-5I of the previous embodiment, but it does not include the recesses 45,

shown in Fig. 4, since the modified bolster bearing designated 1l does not include lugs such as shown at 44 in Fig. 4 for interlocking with the bolster. In the modified assembly, the bolster bearing 1| includes a plate portion 12 which is formed intermediate its edges with upstanding studs 13-13. These dowel studs have cored centers and project into the interior of the bolster through openings 14-14 formed in the bottom face thereof` A pad designated 15 is interposed between the bolster and the bolster bearing. The studs 13--13 of the bolster bearing extend through openings 16 in the pad and serve to hold the whiie the invention has been niustrateanere;

in as consisting of certain preferred constructions, it will be obvious that variations in arrangements andconstructions of the various partsrnaybe made,y within the scope of the appendedclaims, without departing from the spirit or intent ofthe invention. l r Y1 The tie brace structure shown in the drawings, in combination with the side frames of the truck, is not claimed specically herein.` This subject matter is disclosed and claimed in co-pending ap-I plication Serial No 616,238, filed September `14s; 1945, as a continuation-impart of the present application.` v i Y i Iclaim: f

1. A railwaycar truck `having separatefside' frames provided with central openings therein;

a bolster structure extending throughsaid openings, bearing members of hardened metal removably seated on the upper central portion of the side frames and formed with depending retaining studs for engaging portions of the side frames, and link members of inverted U-form engaging said bearing members and the opposite ends of the bolster structure for suspending the bolster structure from said frames.

2. In a railway car truck having separate side frames provided with spaced columns defining central openings therein, a bolster structure extending through said openings, bearingv members of hardened metal removably seated on the upper central portion of the side frames and the frames having apertures therein adjacent the opposite ends of said bearing members, and link members of inverted U-form, each provided with a` center rocker bearing for engaging the removable bearing member of an adjacent side frame and spaced link portions adapted to be inserted through said apertures to their applied positions, a removable key member engaging an adjacent end of the bolster structure for suspending the bolster structure from the side frames.

3. In a railway car truck having separate side frames provided with spaced columns defining rectangular openings therein, a bolster structure extending through said openings and means for suspending said bolster structure from the side frames comprising link members of inverted U- form positioned to embrace the spaced columns, key members extending through the lower ends of said link members for engaging the under side of the bolster structure, there being openings in the side frames to permit insertion and removal of said key members.

4. In a railway car truck of the type in which opposite ends of a truck bolster extend through openings in side frame members and are swingably supported in said openings by means of hangers extending beneath the bolster ends, removable bolster bearing members located in the said openings in the side frame members and interposed between said hangers and the bolster and having upwardly extending means thereon loosely fitting into receiving holes formed in the bolster to provide an interlock with the bolster having capacity for relative vertical movements..

5. In a railway car truck of the type in which opposite ends of a truck bolster extend through openings in side frame members and are swingably supported in said openings by means of hangers extending beneath the bolster ends, re-

movable bolster bearing Amembers located in the said-openings in the side frame members and interposed between said hangers and the bolster., and a pad member interposed between the bolster bearing members and Vadjacentv .surfaces of the bolster; the said bolster bearing members vhaving upwardly projecting means thereon loosely ittin-ginto receiving holes formed in the bolster to provide an interlock with the bolster having capacity for relative verticalmovements and for retaining said pads in position.

6. In a railway car truck having separate yside frameshaving upper chords formedwith open channels extending lengthwise of the chords, a bolster `and hanger Lfor -swingably suspending the bolsterfrom vportions `0 1 the side frames, removable bearing members positioned in said channels between the hangers and adjacent portions of `the side frames; the said bearing members being formed with'integral studs which extend through openings in the Vside frames to hold the bearing members in proper position.

, 7;-In a railway `oe-r truck of .the type zirn which opposite ends of a truck bolster extend through` openings in side framernembers and are -fswing-` ablysupported inclose relation to adjaoentgpor.- tions :of the side `'framemembersA by means -of hangersxextending beneath :the bolster ends,-;re, mol/:able bolster bearing members located .in the said openings in thegside frame members and fin-1 bolster bearing `members and `the adjacent sur# faces of the' bolster. v Y Y CHARLES P. LEETSE. 

